Anyone got any experience of childming + benefits?

[crazyhazy]

I'm wonderingif anyone is able to give me any advice. I was made redundant at the end of feb and had been receiving JSA while waiting on my registration. I started cm on the 13th april and had been under the impression cos I only had one part timer, 15.5hrs a week that I was still entitled to sign on.

Well that's partly true I can still sign on but at the job centre today I was told that apart from £5 they will take any other income off my JSA, basically meaning I will be worse off each week. I am currently only earning £55pw and that's before any expenses. The person in the job centre didn;t seem to think it mattered that I had expenses but I was wondering if anyone here had any experience of a similar situation?

As it stands just now I'll only get £5pw more than when I was just signing on JSA and with the expenses of toddler groups, snacks etc I'm going to be worse off working

Thanks in advance!

[Straws]

Have you got children of your own? if so you can claim tax credits

Straws xx

[crazyhazy]

I do have two of my own and already claim tax credits, spoke to them last week with my new figures but will now have to call and change them again if I'm not going to be getting the JSA, so that might make a small difference, but not the £50pw that I'm loosing.

[huggableshelly]

I'm not totally sure but:

my brother is self employed and also gets benefits, each month he has to declare his earnings after expencies but be prepared to show his books at any time. they have looked at his books every month so far and have now reduced his housing benefit but he is still entitled to a good amount. He is in private rented too so not sure if that has anything to do with it.

Hopefully someone on here can help you more than I can but also take a look at the HRMC website to find more information.

[TheBTeam]

I had this situation a few years ago when I started and unfortunately that is the position, i was very lucky in that within a week I signed a part time one at about £30, but then quickly signed two other after schoolers giving me around another £130 so it made it worthwhile.

[crazyhazy]

Thanks everyone. It just seems crazy to be putting all this hard work in to end up out of pocket at the end of the day Here's hoping the parent coming tmrw wants to sign up, although only another 8-12 hours a week I suppose it's better than nothing.

[singlewiththree]

I found I was better off working over 16 hours and getting tax credits. Even though you may not have a child 16 hours you are still doing paperwork so that brings it up to 16 hours. It may be worth checking out the online calculator to see how much you would get that way.

[Bananabrain]

They have to take off two thirds off your income for benefit purposes.
It's called 'two thirds disregard' and the benefit people won't tell you about it unless you ask!!! Naughty really.
It applies to childminders and certain other self employed people.
I would go and talk to them and say you want to know about it. Don't take 'no' for an answer! In my experience they aren't very helpful.

[Mookins]

MY OTHER HALF is currently on ssp we get all our rent paid and all our council tax plus tax credits cos we on such a low income
also free prescripstions, eye checks, dentist

dont know whether you have a partner with an income or not but you should be entitles to some help like us too
x x

[moljak]

I've just begun to childmind and came off income support.I am a single parent.
I am now entitled to working tax credit and child tax credits(I have 2 kids).I had to be working 16 hrs a week or more to claim those though.i work 18 hrs.I'm waiting to hear about any rent help.I'm slightly better off but not by much.
I do feel better as a working parent though so in that respect I'm much better off

[crazyhazy]

Thanks everyone, I already claim tax credits, will be contacting them to update them about the reduction in JSA but I doubt the increase will make up the difference. When I've done the calculators online it doesn't seem to matter what hours I work, income I get we aren't entitled to working tax credits, only the child part. Can only assume this is due to my hs salary.

[candy cat]

Used to be 2 3rds off your income